Jessica's Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 c unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 c molasses
1 egg
2 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves

Frosting

4 c powdered sugar
1/4 c softened butter
3 oz. softened cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
1 T orange juice
Whipping cream as needed

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter; gradually add sugar and beat until light. Add molasses and egg and beat to blend well; set aside.

2. In a bowl stir together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating until just blended. Gather dough into a ball and enclose in plastic wrap.

3. Preheat oven to 325. On a lightly floured board, roll out gingerbread to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out cookies with a floured cutter and transfer to greased cookie sheet. Bake until cookies are lightly browned around the edges and feel barely firm when touched gently (about 10 minutes). Transfer to a wire rack. When cool, frost and add cinnamon candies to decorate.